Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 9th Baronet of Killerton in Devon and Holnicote in Somerset, was a prominent landowner and member of the West Country gentry.
Background
He was the second son of Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 7th Baronet (1722–1785) of Killerton in Devon and Petherton Park in Somerset, by his wife Elizabeth Dyke (d1753), daughter and heiress of Thomas Dyke of Tetton, Holnicote and Pixton in Somerset. The ancient Acland family, believed to be of Flemish origin, originated at the estate of Acland in the parish of Landkey in North Devon, where it is first recorded in 1155.
Education
He attended Eton College and University College, Oxford.
Career
lieutenant was during a chance visit to his old home that he learned of his succession to the baronetcy and the vast family estates. He had a propensity to get into debt, and thus his father had avoided bequeathing him a large sum of capital he might squander. His life was largely dedicated to staghunting and he followed his father into the Mastership of the North Devon Staghounds.
He virtually abandoned the family"s main seat of Killerton in mid-Devon, and resided chiefly at Holnicote and Highercombe, near Dulverton, situated at the north and south edges respectively of the ancient royal forest of Exmoor, renowned for its herds of Red Deer.
His hospitality to his fellow staghunters was legendary, as had been that of his father. During the period 1785 to his death in 1794 he killed 101 stags, the heads and antlers of many of which are still displayed in the stables at Holnicote.
He was a stern employer of his hunt-staff, and on one occasion when his hounds had killed several sheep, possibly belonging to his farming tenants, he ordered his huntsman "to hang himself and the whole pack". He died on 17 May 1794, having fallen ill during a journey to London.
He was buried in the family vault in Broadclyst Church, the parish church of Killerton House.
His Latin epitaph was written in the burial register of Selworthy Church, the parish church of Holnicote, as follows: Hic finis fatorum Priami hic exitus illumSorte tulit! - Vale. Vale. Vale.Nec Meridies nec Aurora unquam vident ejus ora.Reliquit nobis cornu, canes, tandem quiescant ejus manes. ("This was the fated end of Priam"s empire and of his own life! Farewell Farewell Farewell Neither Noon nor Dawn shall ever see his face again He left us his horn and his hounds.
May his spirit finally rest in peace").